Combustion burner

ABSTRACT

A combustion burner device that includes a rotor chamber with a rotary element rotatably mounted therein. The rotor chamber has a cylindrical sidewall with an inlet port in communication with a source of pressurized gas and an outlet port in communication with a combustion chamber. The rotary element has at least two interrupters forming cavities therebetween within the rotor chamber. The cavities are configured for receiving pressurized gas from the chamber&#39;s inlet port and transferring the pressurized gas to the chamber&#39;s outlet port. The rotation of the rotary element is in response to and by way of reaction to the issuance of gas under pressure through the inlet port.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention involves the provision of a burner device for gaseous fuel supplied under pressure. The device includes a cylindrical rotor chamber, a rotary element rotatably mounted within the rotor chamber, and a combustion chamber. The rotor chamber includes an inlet port in communication with a source of pressurized gas and an outlet port in communication with the combustion chamber. The rotor chamber can be formed from a sidewall having inner and outer surfaces. The rotary element has at least two radially extending, circumferentially spaced wings or interrupters forming cavities therebetween within the rotor chamber. The wings can have end faces with indentions formed therein. The rotary element has a diameter that is substantially equal to the diameter of the rotor chamber sidewall's inner surface. The combustion chamber is suitable for containing combustion of gas therein and includes an inlet port in communication with the rotor chamber's outlet and an outlet port for discharging exhaust created by the combustion of the gas.

Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a device for generating a controlled pulsating flame in a combustion burner. The device includes a chamber with a cylindrical sidewall having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a rotor rotatably mounted within the chamber. The rotor has wings that form cavities therebetween. The cavities are configured for receiving pressurized gas from the chamber's inlet port and transferring the pressurized gas to the chamber's outlet port. The gas entering the chamber causes the rotor to rotate.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of the following description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith in which like reference numerals are used to indicate like or similar parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a combustion burner assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top side view of a combustion burner assembly showing hidden lines in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top perspective view of a rotor chamber sidewall in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a top perspective view of a rotor chamber cap in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side perspective view of a tube for connecting a rotor chamber to a combustion chamber in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a combustion chamber sidewall in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of a rotor shaft in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a side perspective view of a rotor in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawing figures, in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristics of the present invention, proportional relationships of the elements have not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures.

Reference numeral 10 designates generally a combustion burner device that includes a rotary element 14, whose rotation not only creates a series of controlled intermittent or pulsating explosions to generate heat output, but also causes mechanical mixture of gas with air so as to enhance the completeness of combustion. The device 10, which may be constructed from materials such as steel, stainless steel, aluminized steel, aluminum, brass, copper, can be used in connection with a wide variety of devices and appliances that require heat, including for example, furnaces, water heaters, boilers, gas stoves, gas ovens, clothes dryers, gas fireplaces, and the like. Further, the burner 10 can be adapted to operate on a variety of types of pressurized gases including, natural gas, propane, methane, butane and combinations thereof.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the burner device 10 is comprised of a rotor chamber 12 having a rotary element 14 rotatably mounted therein, a combustion chamber 16, and a tube 18 connecting the two chambers 12 and 16. Under normal operation, pressurized gas is supplied to the device 10 via an inlet port 34 in the rotor chamber 12. The gas passes through the tube 18 and then combusts in the combustion chamber 16.

The rotor chamber 12 may be constructed of a cylindrical sidewall 20, which has an inner surface 22 and an outer surface 24, and two end plates or caps 42. As shown in the figures, the end plates 42 are attached to the sidewall using screws or bolts 88 that pass through apertures 48 in the plates 42 and are received by threaded holes 28 located in the ends 26 of the sidewall 20. Alternatively, the end plates 42 can also be attached by other methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The sidewall 20 has an inlet port 34 that may be threaded, thereby enabling the device 10 to be connected to a line (not shown) supplying pressurized gas. The line supplying pressurized gas can be inline with a gas flow control valve, which may be manually or automatically controlled.

The rotor 14 is housed and rotatably mounted within the rotor chamber 12. The rotor 14 includes a center hub portion 79 and a plurality of radially extending, circumferentially spaced interrupters or wings 80. The rotor 14 has a diameter D_(R) that corresponds to the diameter D_(S) of the inner surface 22 of the sidewall 20. Likewise, the end faces 81 of the interrupters 80 each have a radius R_(R) that corresponds to the radius R_(S) of the inner surface 22 of the sidewall 20. The clearance between the end face 81 of each interrupter 80 and the inner face 22 of the sidewall 20 is maintained so that the movement of the rotor 14 is frictionless, but at the same time, leakage of gas passing around the interrupter 80 is controlled. The amount of clearance depends upon particular design specifications, such as surface character and/or finish, but can be in the range of about 0.001 to 0.02 inch. In one embodiment, the rotor 14 includes seals (not shown) to sweep the inner surface 22 of the sidewall 20.

The rotor 14 can be mounted within the rotor chamber 12 in a number of ways. In the embodiment shown, the rotor 14 rotates about a shaft 74 that has chamfered ends 76 which correspond to and are received by tapered holes 50 located in the center of an inside surface 44 of the end caps 42. As shown, the rotor includes an aperture 78 through which the shaft 74 runs. The rotor 14 can also be mounted within rotor chamber 12 through use of ball or roller bearings, polymer plain bearings or by any other method known to one of ordinary skill in the art.

The rotation of the rotor 14 is in response to and by way of reaction to the issuance of gas under pressure through the inlet port 34. In other words, the gas flowing through the rotor chamber 12 causes the rotor 14 to turn. Depending upon the amount and pressure of the gas flowing through the rotor chamber 12, the rotor 14 may turn between about 60 and 600 rounds per minute, or alternatively between about 240 and 360 rounds per minute. The rotor 14 has a mass enabling it to have a moment of inertia (rotational inertia) sufficient to maintain a generally steady speed of rotation.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rotor's interrupters or wings 80 have a width W_(W) that is equal to or greater than the width W_(I) of the rotor chamber's inlet port 34 and equal to or greater than the width W_(O) of the rotor chamber's outlet port 38. This enables the interrupters 80 to completely cover the inlet and outlet ports 34 and 38 as the interrupters pass by them. In one embodiment, the combustion occurs within the combustion chamber 16 when one of the rotor's interrupters 80 is covering the rotor chamber outlet port 38. This prevents the exhaust and pressure created by the combustion from entering the rotor chamber 12.

As best seen in FIG. 8, the rotor interrupters 80 each have an indention 86 formed into its end face 81. These indentions assist in initiating the rotation of the rotor 14 when gas flow is commenced. They also assist in preventing the rotor 14 from becoming static once gas flow has commenced.

As shown in FIG. 2, the rotor 14 creates two moving cavities 41 within the rotor chamber 12. As one of the cavities 41 passes by the inlet port 34, it comes into communication with the supply of pressurized gas. The cavity 41 takes on pressurized gas and the rotor 14 continues rotating. At one point during its rotation, the cavity 41 is not in communication with either the inlet port 34 or outlet port 38, but rather is substantially sealed. As the rotor 14 continues to rotate, the cavity 41 comes into communication with the outlet port 38 and releases a substantial portion of the gas through the outlet port 38. This action creates a pulsating flow of gas into the combustion chamber 16.

The outlet port 38 is in communication with an inlet port 68 of the combustion chamber 16. As demonstrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotor chamber 12 and the combustion chamber 16 are connected via a tube 18, though the tube 18 may be eliminated in some embodiments. As shown in FIG. 5, the tube 18 has first and second ends 52 and 54, each of which can be threaded in order to facilitate connection with the rotor chamber outlet port 38 and combustion chamber inlet port 68, each of which may also be threaded.

The combustion chamber 16 may be constructed of a sidewall 58, which has an inner surface 60 and an outer surface 62, and two end plates or caps 73. The end plates 42 may be attached to the sidewall using screws or bolts 88 that pass through apertures 48 in the end plates 42 and are received by threaded holes 66 located in the ends 64 of the sidewall 58. Alternatively, the end plates 73 can be attached by other methods known to one of ordinary skill in the art. The combustion chamber 16 also includes an outlet port 72 through which the exhaust and pressure created by the combustion are released. The combustion chamber 16 and its outlet port 72 can be in communication, in any desired manner, with the combustion space of a furnace or the like, wherein the gaseous mixture is burned.

At some point prior to the combustion of the gas, the gas is inducted with air in order to create an admixture having a desired air-gas ratio. In one embodiment, the induction of air occurs upstream of the rotor chamber 12 through an adjustable air inlet. When the air-gas admixture reaches the rotor chamber 12, the spinning rotor 14 further mixes the air and gas for enhancing the completeness of combustion. The rotor 14 can also create a disruptive condition within the air-gas admixture leading to an increased turbulence in flow, which can also lead to an increase in the completeness of combustion. In an alternative embodiment, the induction of air occurs in the combustion chamber 16, which includes an inlet for inducting the air.

From the foregoing, it may be seen that the combustion burner device of the present invention is particularly well suited for the proposed usages thereof. Furthermore, since certain changes may be made in the above invention without departing from the scope hereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. It is also to be understood that the following claims are to cover certain generic and specific features described herein. 

1. A burner for gaseous fuel supplied under pressure, said burner comprising: a cylindrical rotor chamber including a sidewall with an inner surface and an outer surface, an inlet port and an outlet port, said inlet port being in communication with a source of gas under pressure; a rotary element including at least two radially extending, circumferentially spaced interrupters, said rotary element being rotatably mounted within said rotor chamber and having a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the inner surface of said rotor chamber; and a combustion chamber including an inlet port in communication with said rotor chamber outlet port and an outlet port, said combustion chamber being suitable for containing combustion of said gas therein.
 2. The burner of claim 1 further comprising a tube extending between the outlet port of said rotor chamber and the inlet port of said combustion chamber to place the rotor chamber and combustion chamber in communication with one another.
 3. The burner of claim 1 wherein rotation of said rotary element creates a pulsating flow of gas into said combustion chamber.
 4. The burner of claim 1 wherein combustion chamber includes an inlet for inducting air with said gas.
 5. The burner of claim 1 further comprising an air inlet upstream of and in communication with said rotor chamber inlet port for creating a mixture having a desired air-gas ratio.
 6. The burner of claim 5 wherein said rotary element further mixes said air and gas for enhancing the completeness of combustion.
 7. The burner of claim 5 wherein said rotary element creates a disruptive condition within said air-gas mixture leading to an increased turbulence in flow.
 8. The burner of claim 1 wherein a flow of the gas entering said rotor chamber causes the rotary element to turn.
 9. The burner of claim 8 wherein the rotary element turns between about 240 and 360 rounds per minute depending upon the amount of gas flowing into said rotor chamber.
 10. The burner of claim 1 wherein combustion occurs within said combustion chamber when one of said interrupters is covering said rotor chamber outlet port.
 11. The burner of claim 1 wherein said rotary element interrupters each have an end face and an indention formed into said end face.
 12. The burner of claim 11 wherein said indentions assist in initiating rotary element rotation when gas flow is commenced.
 13. The burner of claim 11 wherein said indentions assist in preventing said rotary element from becoming static once gas flow has commenced.
 14. The burner of claim 1 wherein said rotor chamber and combustion chamber are each comprised of a cylindrical sidewall and two end caps.
 15. The burner of claim 1 wherein said rotary element interrupters each have an outer radius substantially equal to a radius of the inner surface of said rotor chamber.
 16. The burner of claim 1 wherein said rotor chamber inlet port is in communication with a flow control valve for controlling the amount of gas flowing into said rotor chamber.
 17. The burner of claim 1 wherein said burner is configured for use in connection with at least one of a furnace, hot water heater, boiler, gas stove, gas oven, clothes dryer and gas fireplace.
 18. The burner of claim 1 wherein said gas is selected from the group consisting of natural gas, propane, methane, butane and combinations thereof.
 19. A pulse combustion burner comprising: a rotor chamber including a cylindrical sidewall with inner and outer surfaces, first and second end caps, an inlet port in communication with a source of pressurized gas and an outlet port, said rotor chamber configured for housing a rotor therein; a rotor rotatably mounted within said rotor chamber, said rotor including at least two radially extending, circumferentially spaced interrupters, wherein said interrupters each have an outer radius substantially equal to a radius of the inner surface of said rotor chamber; a combustion chamber including a sidewall, first and second end caps, an inlet port and an outlet port; and a tube extending between said rotor chamber outlet port and combustion chamber inlet port placing the rotor chamber in communication with the combustion chamber.
 20. The burner of claim 19 wherein said rotor rotates in response to and by way of reaction to the issuance of gas under pressure through said rotor chamber inlet port.
 21. The burner of claim 19 wherein rotation of said rotor creates a pulsating flow of gas into said combustion chamber.
 22. A device for generating a controlled pulsating flame in a combustion burner, said device comprising: a chamber including a cylindrical sidewall with inner and outer surfaces, an inlet port in communication with a source of pressurized gas and an outlet port, said chamber configured for housing a rotor therein; a rotor rotatably mounted within said chamber, said rotor including at least two radially extending, circumferentially spaced wings, said rotor has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the inner surface of said chamber, said wings each including an end face with an indention formed therein; and at least two rotating cavities formed between said rotor wings, said cavities configured for receiving pressurized gas from said chamber inlet port and transferring said pressurized gas to said chamber outlet; wherein the pressurized gas entering said chamber causes the rotor to rotate. 